In the past, in optical communication that uses laser light, optical fiber cables are connected by using an optical connector, for example. In a widely known optical connector, a lens for forming a light signal communicated between a plug and a receptacle into a collimated light is provided in one of the plug side and the receptacle side, and a lens for collecting the collimated light is provided in the other. As described above, if the communication is performed between the plug and the receptacle by using the collimated light, optical communication can be performed without highly precisely positioning the end surface of the optical fiber cable at a predetermined interval to face light detection or the like each other, and the optical connector can be provided inexpensively.
Also, in Patent Literature 1, a movable shutter is provided in an end portion of an optical fiber cable. This shutter covers an end surface (an emission surface) of a light signal emission side of the optical fiber cable at a closed position. Thus, the emission surface can be protected from flaw, taint, and the like, and entrance of light into the optical fiber cable or the like can be blocked. Further, the shutter covers the emission surface of the optical fiber cable, and thereby the collimated light emitted from the emission surface of the optical fiber cable is prevented from entering into an eyeball of a nearby person and giving a bad influence to a visual perception function or the like.